doooooooone

DOOOOOOOOOOONE with FINALS! DOOOOOOOONE with my FIRST semester of the SCIENCESSSSSS......done Done DONE! WHEW. i made it!! now im watching my soap and sipping some wine......putting off packing for a little bit longer (obvi).....then HOME tomorrow!!! CANNOT wait!!! i dont start classes again until the END of january!! man im gonna be such a bum for the next month! cant wait to read for FUN, watch TV, drink WINE, see FRIENDS, and COOK!!! ill keep you posted as i re-enter the land of the NORMAL!

happy xmas break :)
xoxoxo!

bad habits

bad habits seem to be forming all around me...whats going on here?? i think the bottom line--im soooooooo ready for CHRISTMAS BREAK!! thats really the only super exciting thing about being back in school....really long christmas vacation! haha sad...but true!! anyway, back to these bad habits...clearly coffee is a problem for me...flavored, unflavored, espresso...you name it, i love it. you name it, i crave it. you name it, i probably drink it about 10 times per day. seriously, in the last post when i mentioned a coffee IV drip...i was secretly wishing it were true! hah..so thats a bad habit that just seems to be growing with this whole school/finals/stress thing ive got goin on! i have also cultivated some compulsions recently. now that we are in the computer age (yes, i realize we are not just NOW in the computer age...but seriously..ive been out of school for only two years and things have like really changed! plus i am not really computer savvy and actually just mentioned to a friend that perhaps i will go back to the typewriter...ahh the simpler times...)...whoa, side tracked, ok so now that we are in the computer age--everything is online...grades, class notes, announcements, etc. this may seem like its a good thing...but really it just breeds obsessive compulsive behavior! each time i take a test i compulsively check the website to see if the scores have been posted...like you think id be satisfied with having checked five minutes ago...nope. about to check again. (yes, i seriously did just check in the middle of writing this post...probably will again before the post is sent!). i have also been a little obsessive with sparkling water....i never even used to drink sparkling water and now i seriously cannot study without it. i only have one can left and its gone through my head several times tonight that i will be without sparkling water tomorrow and really need to do something about it..fast. such a weirdo.

hmm perhaps i will try to break some of the bad habits that have formed this semester over break....although i guess upon further thought, these arent really new bad habits at all..they have just manifested themselves in different ways...clearly i have always been a little OCD doing things like checking my alarm clock 800 times before i go to bed or clearly locking my car door, walking away, then convincing myself i forgot, and turning back just to make sure...even though i know i locked it. you know i locked it. i always lock it! and the coffee obsession is obvi nothing new...it just rears its ugly head when im lacking sleep or just looking for some comfort in a cup :) what??

two finals down. two to go. as you probably can tell...i may or may not be cracking up....

xoxo

fiiiiiinaaaaalsssssss

who knew so soon after graduating undergrad that i would be in FINALS WEEK again. so so sick. it sucks just as much now as it did in college...actually..it sucks a little more now :) im getting too old for all-nighters........which is totally inappropriate bc they are so necessary and totally crazy bc i used to be the one to be going strong with only 4 hours of sleep for a week straight. i am no longer a soldier people...whats happened to me?? am i old?! so weird! anywayyyyyyy...finals have begun and i am a sight to see...no make-up, hair undone, yoga pants 24/7 (fine, i do that outside of finals week too), and an IV drip of coffee! gotta love it :) i think im going a little insane too! first thing this morning my friend called and i had barely said two words and she goes...umm..are you ok?? you sound crazy. i was like..ah geez, thats never a good sign! then just now i almost slipped on a rug at my house and i started imagining what would have happened had i actually slipped and cracked my head open on the granite counter top and had to be rushed to the hospital........and for a second juuuust a second...the thought sounded kiiind of appealing...because my next thought was...well, at least i wouldnt have to take this final! yeeeep THATS A PROBLEM!! ahhhhh!

ok ok, dont get all worried...i wont have any "slips" or anything! just do me a little favor and think good thoughts and WISH ME LUCK!!!!!

see you after the insanity ends.......xoxox!

a second time for everything??

omg so i guess i jinxed myself or something with the last post...bc it appears my luck with the cops has DEFINITELY run out!! i was on my way home from the gym yesterday...all worked out, had a pretty good day, feeling good about things..until i get a call from my mom. usually thats a good thing, a little catch-up sesh, a little goss...but noooooot when her tone sounded like it did...four words you really never want to hear at the start of a convo: we need to talk. uh ohhhhh instantly a million things come into your mind! i was like, oh god..what happened?? heres the convo that ensued:

mom: you know red light cameras?
me: yes, obvi...oh no..
mom: have you heard of speeding cameras??
me: oh god
mom: yeahhh....i got a little letter today from the police saying I was speeding in YOUR city two weeks ago...
me: oh god...(nervous laughter)...how fast...
mom: not appropriate honey...first you get pulled over for a wrong turn, then you get pulled over for another wrong turn and get a TICKET, and now a speeding ticket?? 46 in a 35 is NOT ok dear! you need to pull it together!
me: mom! you dont understand!! eeeeeveryone speeds here..its like, you cant go the right speed limit or you are a hazard! people will pass you and honk...you basically have to speed!
mom: it comes with a picture hun...and you are literally the only car on the road....
me: oh. (more nervous laughter) uhh...well i must have been speeding to get to class!! thats it...i was toootally late for class!
mom: its time and date stamped dear....SATURDAY at 1pm.
me: (geez, cant a girl catch a break! every possible excuse shot down! throw me a fricken bone here!) oh man...umm...uhh...maybe i was on my way to study??
mom: nick, stop speeding. stop getting in trouble with the police. just be good, please.

whooooooooops! sorry mom! haha...

have a good day all....and if you happen to be a cop reading this..please leave me alone!

PS sooo not a fan of the cameras everywhere...i seriously feel like im in the book 1984! gosh, i cant speed, i cant run red lights...whats next?? hahah..seriously though..hate them, totally not fair!

theres a first time for everything...

wellllllll it finally happened...after 5 (maybe 6?) times being pulled over...i FINALLY got a TICKET! AHHHHH!!! was it speeding, you ask?? NOPE! running a red light?? NO AGAIN. a normal reason??? nooope...its me people...nothing normal about it! i got pulled over for.....making a left turn when there was some tiny sign that was barely even legible and totally blocked by trees and there was a bird sitting on it so i couldnt even have seen it if i had wanted to (fine, i actually never saw the sign, so its tough to say...) that apparently said "no left turns between x and x hours". i clearly dont know what those hours are as i never saw this alleged "sign", but apparently we were within those fricken hours! anywayyyy...i made the turn safely (and totally unaware that i was becoming a criminal), kept driving, went past two or three stop lights, pulled into campus (i was on my way to class to take a quiz), went half-way through campus...which is BIG...and THEN i was pulled over. make sense?? NOPE! seriously?? like ten minutes later theeeen he decides to pull me over?? in front of the whole school?? inappropriate. now, normally in these situations, i tend to cry (some call it hysterical...i call it a tear or two) and be all pitiful, usually resulting in an irritated cop, a stern talking to, and a warning. this time...i just couldnt get it together because i was seriously so confused as to why i was being pulled over in the middle of campus. everything happened so fast, i didnt even have time to use my stellar negotiating skills...and my tears...to help me out of the situation. he argued with me about me having the proper paperwork and then told me that i was wrong about what state my license plates were from...my state...clearly i know...so he looked at them with his flashlight and confirmed i was right (duh) and then peered into my car..he like thought i was a criminal?! then he barked at me to stay in the car and took literally 20+ minutes to contemplate whether or not to give me a ticket. finally he comes back and goes, heres your NINETY DOLLAR TICKET ma'am...what the?? for making a turn at an incorrect hour?? not ok. i have NO prior offenses...i was being so safe during the turn i was practically a grandma...im from another state and clearly didnt see the sign...and i was not even crying or being rude or arguing or anything! and he repays me with my first ever ticket?!? SO RUDE! i seriously cannot believe that i have never been pulled over for speeding, but have been pulled over for not having my lights on, going around a bus in the bike lane, and now making an illegal turn. what the heck is with my luck?! oh and at the end of the little ticket-giving ceremony he tried to be all cheery and nice...ummm i dont think so buddy. we are not going to be friends after you just gave me a $90 ticket in the pouring rain (oh, forgot to mention i was in my least favorite of the elements at the time too!)...so i just rolled up my window and turned on my car as he was saying have a nice night! so rude. still debating whether or not to try my luck in court to get my fine reduced or maybe he wont show up and it will just be dismissed?? ill let you know what i decide.....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!! xoxo

*folgers update*

recently a friend commented on my folgers post and asked whether or not i was serious and then reasoned that i must be because folgers tastes like poop. welllllll at first i was quick to defend and said, really its not so bad, blah blah. but i had it again yesterday...and i must admit, i stand corrected. i must have been seriously delusional when i wrote that post because when i drank it yesterday it tasted like chemicals. i was like, ah geez, i mixed chemicals into my coffee instead of milk again.....but i hadnt, it was just the smooth soothing chemical aftertaste of folgers. eulp. clearly i dumped the pot and then the rest of the grounds into the garbage...guess ill just stick to the good stuff...

many of you know that i dont like to be wrong (and im not wrong often ;) )...so when i had it yesterday, with my stubborn nature and the endorsing post in my mind, i really did give it a good old college try. i was like, no no, its in my head..it tastes fine. my throat is burning from the chemical taste...toootally fine..drink it down, its good! i finally gave up after half a cup (of gagging) decided to cut my losses and just admit i was wrong. so there you go, are you happy?? dont drink folgers people..its not good.

happy monday!

moldy cheese

i just poured a glass of wine (friday night happy hour..duh) and got out some cheese as a little throw-back to my second favorite country, SPAIN (obvi).....but when i got the cheese out...there was a little...eulp..mold on it. after considering my options, i decided that i would just cut it off and eat it anyway!! waaaait...is that weird?? was it a fat girl moment??! just a moment of weakness? no idea...but i thought that had i heard somewhere that you are supposed to do that when cheese gets moldy, but i def felt a little awkward (slash nauseous) doing it. oh...and i fed the moldy parts to my dog...is that bad?? oh crap...this dog better not die on me! oh well, clearly i ate the cheese and it tasted pretty normal, but i still immediately called my mom in a panic to make sure that i wouldnt die! she assured me that its fine to cut off the mold..thats what you are supposed to do?? so weird.......i think im gonna throw the rest away now.....haha!

xoxo

awkwarddd

today i got myself into an awkward little situation...my friend at work called me to meet her for lunch and she was a little urgent about it! i was just about to ditch her for lunch because i was so hungry, so i had already warmed up my soap and was about to eat it. so i quickly capped my tupperware, grabbed my wallet, and ran out the door to the elevators. right as i got there everyone was boarding to go up...which was where i needed to go! so lucky, right?? or so i thought...i started walking on the crowded elevator (the last person to get in) and as i did, i noticed my dominican friend and so i was all "holaaaaa" and smiling and all goofy and friendly, of course, and then as i walked on...i ran straight..into....the elevator door (its not like it closed on me, i somehow managed to walk straight into it). as i did this, i bounced off the door and my wallet flew out of my hands and the change part of my wallet opened and change flew all over the place. and my soup container popped open and my scalding hot vegetable soup sprayed over the crowd..ok..the last part didnt happen...but everything else was true! but instead of bending down and picking up my wallet and getting myself together..i just awkwardly stood there with a stunned look on my face staring back at all the ppl staring at me in the elevator. finally, after several seconds, my dominican friend broke the silence and was like..uh...are you ok...and i was like, "omg! NO!" hahah i mean clearly not...i just beasted the elevator door!! haha then this girl bends down to start picking up my change and i just awkwardly kept staring and then i was like, omg..thanks! and then i realized as she was picking up my change that she was actually robbing me..haha kidding, that didnt happen either...really she was just blocking the door from closing because she was picking up my change for me...so then everyone in the elevator turned on me and spit on me as i knelt at their feet, fine, that didnt happen either...but they werent happy! anywayyyyy why must i always be such a crazy spectacle?!

haha oh well! have a good weekend :)
xoxo

obsessed

current song obsessions:

**fireflies-owl city (who is NOT the person from postal service or death cab for cutie, even though he sounds identical...totally amazing and sweet though regardless of the fact that he sounds exactly like someone hes not)

**party in the USA-miley cyrus (who i hate that i like but cant help but like her dang songs! so fricken catchy! awkward...)

**forever-drake feat. lil wayne, kanye, and eminem (ive always been obsessed with eminem..so hes clearly my favorite part, but im liking lil wayne lately too, even though he has an old man face on a teen body...so weird..)

have you ever seen such a random mix of fav songs?! total opposites!! hah but im totes obsessed with all three.....so if you are either a slow sweet music fan, teen pop fan, or rap fan..i have the perfect amazing song just for you! haha! if anyone has any song recommendations or current obsessions...let me know!!

the best part of wakin upppp....

....is folgers in your cuuuuuuup! yes yes we have all heard the song a gazillion times, but THIS morning...i actually sang it! haha for some reason when our coffee ran out this weekend, the next person to buy thought it was a good idea to get folgers. i said, eulp no thanks and went and bought something else. total coffee snob, right?? but this morning i decided to give it a try and as i poured it and the steam rose into the air and i breathed in the intoxicating aroma of the delicious coffee goodness...i couldnt help myself...and just i had to sing it! i felt like i was in a commercial...the beeeeest part of wakin uppppppp is folgers in your cuuuuuuup! i think i may have judged folgers too harshly, 1. i am pleasantly surprised by the flavor/taste of the coff and 2. it gets extra points because my normal coffee brands do not inspire me into any morning song and dance. so i am gonna have to give some props to folgers!

have a good daaaaaaay! xoxo

the power of the rubber glove

if you do not have a pair of yellow rubber gloves...im gonna need you to go and get some immediately! they are seriously so amazing! not only are they good for washing dishes...so that you dont have to burn your hands with the hot water or touch the nasty food thats on the dishes...they make you invincible for any unsavory task. for example, this morning i walked into my bathroom, all sleepy eyed and tired...and as i looked in the mirror to survey the damage (me in the mirror, obvi) to my HORROR, behind me on the wall was a GIANT (ok fine, you caught me..it was really teenager size...not baby, but not big daddy) CENTIPEDE!! and i think we can all agree that centipedes with their millions of legs and their speed are just about the sickest bug to come across. anyway...i thought about what to do and considered my options 1. smash it with a nearby kleenex...nope, too thin and small and too big a chance i might miss or it may dodge me and then a stray leg could touch my hand (again-speed+million legs=not ok) so then i thought 2. i could smash it with a shoe...but then its like, should i use my shoe and risk getting guts on it or worse, leftover legs?? nope. so then i would have to find someone elses shoe to use and then i got to thinking...there just isnt time for this plan because what if i go in search of a shoe and then i come back and its no longer there!!? that would be awful because then chances are it crawled somewhere to hide like maybe in the shower (which i was about to get into) or maybe it would try to crawl onto my toothbrush and then maybe i wouldnt think to check before i brushed and then it may accidentally go into my mouth...and then i eulped and knew i had to move on to plan #3...the rubber glove plan. THIS is the best plan, clearly and the ultimate winner. in a flash i ran for my rubber gloves and put them on for protection, then i got two thick paper towels and ran back to the bathroom and bravely smashed the centipede without even screaming or crying!! heres the thing, with rubber gloves on your hand, you dont have to be scared!! you can touch anything sick or get near things that you are scared of (mainly bugs, but also any dirty clean-up job) without fear because you are protected by the glove!! amazing right?? with those gloves, i become a different person...an invincible person!! if you dont have some, get some...because you dont want to be faced with something sick one morning when you wake up and then have to attack it with unprotected bare hands! believe me, ive been there and its not a pretty picture :)

xoxo

keen sense of direction

clearly the title of this blog does not describe me...as i have mentioned before, i have a very poor sense of direction (to say the least). well people, it happened again...i got totally and utterly lost...going HOME!! to be fair, i have only lived here for like a month or so and i have actually been doing a pretty good job of driving places (that i go every week, same route, same time...yes, clearly i have many issues...) without my GPS. this is difficult for me as i have grown accustomed to seeing the ETA of my trips and my speed, etc. but i realize its a little ridic to keep using my GPS every day to get to work...sooo i have decided to try to learn my way without it! as i said, im getting better every week...first, i made it home from school without it! then, i made it to school from work without it! THEN i made it home from my old stomping grounds, to my new digs, which was a fete because my sister was in the car with me and there was added pressure..i even tried to turn on the GPS at one point and she restrained me....and i did it!! welllll i think that may have been the point where i got a little too cocky. because yesterday as i was making that same exact trip (one day later), i was like, ive got this, no problem, did this yesterday! patting myself on the back, congratulating too soon...welllllll then i was driving...and driving...and driving some more. and then i realized...i dont remember it being this far...in fact, nothing about this drive looks at all familiar. did i pass my exit?? nooo, couldnt have! im on top of things! then i thought..oh god, i passed my exit. as i scrambled to get out my GPS i realized that i really had no clue where i was! once the GPS finally acquired satellite...i surveyed the damage. i had driven at least 20-25 mins out of my way. wow. i think thats a record people! back home i always used to end up at the airport...i know, it sounds weird..but the airport was east and i lived west and i just could never get that darn direction straight so i continually went the wrong way (in fact, as i think about it now..i cant be sure that the airport is not actually west and i live east...tough to say..). needless to say, i dont have time to be driving 20 minutes out of my way as my life is insanely busy at the moment. so i guess you can imagine that i was pretty irritated at myself. but then i realized, whats done is done..i just had to turn around and get back on track and being mad just going to make it worse. i thought about the situation and almost had to laugh at myself because my sense of direction just never fails! fricken cocky attitude...i should have just stuck with the GPS....that'll teach me!!

xoxo

poker face

no, im not talking about the lady gaga song...i am talking about my very own poker face...or lack there of. apparently i, 1. have a very expressive face and 2. do not have a very good poker face. i always knew that i had an expressive face because everyone always tells me i make bizarre facial expressions and i guess i sort of knew that i didnt have a very effective poker face because whenever i get presents that i dont like...like from my family at christmas for example...i always try to smile and look excited, but they pretty much always know that i hate it. haha sad! (but true) anywaaay...i recently got a couple of reminders about my facial issues in my classes. the first one was just last night. i had a chem lecture and the prof covered a TON of info...like twice the amount he had planned on covering and my head was seriously spinning by the end of it. clearly, i thought these feelings were totally internal and on the outside i looked just as confident as ever...until suddenly the prof stops the lecture...literally mid-sentence...and weirdly seems to be looking directly at ME. i was like, what more dude?? i have already been called on to answer a question in front of the class, you are already like two lectures ahead...what the heck do you want from me?? then he goes, "are you ok? you look like youre in pain." hahah OMG SO INAPPROP!! in front of the WHOLE class...and its like stadium seating and i sit in the back..so EVERYONE turns to look at me and im like, "oh..uh..no, im uh..fine." SO AWKWARD!!! exhibit A of my poker face failing me. then about a week or so ago i was in bio lab and the same sort of sitch happened...but this time i was sort of in lala land thinking about all of the stuff that i have to do with so little time to do everything and then the TA stops and looks at me and goes, "you look confused" AGAIN, EVERYONE looks at me and laughs (clearly, because as usual, i am a total spectacle) and im like.."uh..no no, i get it." hes all, "you sure??" and im like, omg dude..if i didnt get it, theres no way im saying anything NOW! exhibit B my poker face fails again! looks like i need to either get my emotions in check OR get some control over my face!! in the meantime, i will get in front of a mirror, put on some lady gaga, and practice my po-po-po pooooker faaaaace, pokkkkerrr faaace!

emergen-C

there is so much hype about emergen-c but since i rarely get sick i have never had the pleasure of trying it....until NOW! last week i suddenly went from not sick to sick in a matter of seconds...which clearly i do not have any time or patience for, so i just kept pretending i wasnt sick (sometimes you can fool it..not kidding people, power of positive thought!!)...but when that failed me (what?? i didnt say it alwayyys works!) i decided to bring in some reinforcements. i went to the store and got some coat throat tea (celestial seasonings), some emergen-c, and some oranges and i went nuts. i had those things every day and literally less than a week later...IM BETTER!! and that is with the stress of two tests, no sleep, and a crazed schedule.....so im gonna go ahead and say that emergen-c really works!!! i now swear by it and will be chugging it any time i feel some sickness coming on!! maybe they could pay me to do infomercials for them?? omg i could have a new career on my hands!!

ok back to work...just thought id share and if any of you feel a sickness coming on, seriously start chugging emergen-c...you will not be disappointed :) (plus it sort of tastes like tang, which is obviously so good and totally reminds me of after school snacks with my sister!!)

LARABAR

new obsession: the LARABAR!!!!!

seriously SO amazing!! now that i have night classes and dont eat dinner until i get home somewhere between 9:30 and 10:30...i have had to start planning ahead for snacks and things to tide me over. the blog world seems to be obsessed with bars for this purpose so i went ahead and bought a few different kinds to try (luna, cliff, think thin, kind, etc) they have all been pretty good so far, buuuuuuut the leader of the pack is DEF the LARABAR!! i LOVE that there are seriously only about 3-5 ingredients (mainly fruit and nuts)...all of which i recognize and can pronounce! they are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher...yeeeep they pretty much sound sick, right?? thats what i thought too...then i opened it and saw the delightful nasty brown stiff square...ew, sick again...but i went that far, so had to go all the way and actually eat the sucker! i am proud to say i was wrong! larabars are sooo YUM! dont know how they do it, but they take those like three ingredients and make them into something filling, healthy, and delicious! if you are like me and always running around like a crazy person and constantly not having time to eat...go get yourself some larabars!!! my fav flavs so far are peanut butter cookie and chocolate coconut chew...YUM!

xoxo

ps any other bar suggestions or fast/healthy snack ideas would be appreciated!!

directions

its weird, but i think i must seem like i know where im going or know how to get somewhere that people want to go...because time and time again people are asking me for directions and clearly, most of those times...i have no idea what to tell them! my sister and i were once taking a walk by my house and someone pulled over to the side of the rode to ask for directions. being from the area, i stepped up to the plate and gave my best attempt at directions. once they pulled away my sister was like, whoa, im impressed! and i was like...yeahh...nooo idea where that is! haha, whoops! shes like, what?? why didnt you just say so?? i was like, i dont know..i like to try to help people!! i have also had ppl roll down their windows and ask me for directions while we are stopped at a stoplight and i often give them some shoddy help there too...i know, i know..i should just say i dont know...but the thing is, when i try that, they still look at me all lost and scared (wait, are they deer or people??) and so then im like, ok fine...guess i could give it a try! haha! well today two ppl asked me for directions where i work...but this time, their senses led them to the right person. if you want to know road directions-no. if you want to know how to get to a specific room or department-no again. buuut if you want to get to coffee---im your gal! TWO people asked me today where they could get coffee...one time i was holding a coffee, so that was a clear indicator that i know things (fine, that i know one thing), but the other time, they just must have felt my coffee vibe! i had someone on campus ask me where the coffee place was the other day too...i swear to god, no matter where i am...new city, new country, new job, new school...whatever...i will always be able to tell ppl where to get the nearest latte. and that my friends, is one amazing talent. hahah..fine, i have a problem!

off to class/off to get a latte! have a gooood one!!

xoxo

Carrot Cake Oats :)

as i mentioned before, i am a little oatmeal obsessed since i started reading food blogs! one blog in particular has a whole oats section with tons of different variations and toppings and i had always been meaning to give one a try. well people, i finally did it! it was tough to pick which one to try, so i took another recent obsession...carrot cake...and decided to combine the two for my oatmeal adventure. YUM...i am soo happy i tried it! SO GOOD!!! it was the most fancy oatmeal breakfast i have ever had and i cant wait to make it again! if you are looking for a fun way to eat some saturday or sunday morning...try this!! if you like carrot cake and oats..you will not be disappointed!! i used the basic recipe from kath, with a few minor adjustments...here ya gooo:

Carrot Cake Oatmeal
serves 1

-Ingredients-
1/2 c oats
1 c water
1/4 c shredded carrot (i used a microplane...so they were very thin...it would be sick with thick shredded carrot)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbls vanilla soy yogurt (can use any kind of yogurt obvi)
1 tsp maple syrup
3-5 chopped pecans (toasted=better!)
sprinkle shredded coconut
*optional: agave nectar if added sweetness is necessary

-Directions-
1. combine in saucepan: oats, water, and carrots (remember-shredded thin or it wont be right). cook on medium heat until its bubbling and most of the water is gone (5-7 mins). stir occasionally.
2. while you are waiting for your oats, make the "frosting" for your carrot cake. mix in a bowl: vanilla soy yogurt and maple syrup. also, toast (can do in a pan or in the microwave) and chop your pecans.
3. once the oats are ready, remove from heat and add the vanilla extract and perhaps some agave nectar (this is optional...but mine could have been a tad sweeter, so i could have added a little here to help with that...if you dont have agave, a little brown sugar can also be used).
4. next pour oats into the bowl, drizzle icing over the top, sprinkle on the coconut, and finally the toasted pecans...and ENJOY!!

YUM!! this totally worked for a carrot cake fix and was a wonderful and filling way to start the day!! def give it a tryyyyy!

one more :)

i dont get it

as i have recently become a driver in a place where i have lived for like 6 years yet through those years i have been metro bound or on foot...both of which i actually miss and were more simpler times (well, most of the time...grocery shopping was weird...) anywayy, its a different world for me now that im a driver! i am trying to learn how things work here, but clearly i am having some issues. first and foremost, finding my way around...if you know me, you know that i have little to no sense of direction! i still get lost in my hometown for goodness sake...so finding my way around here is no easy task. even now that i have a gps...i STILL get lost! what?? sometimes that little british lady inside there just isnt clear!! haha times havent changed much...different location, same serious issues! hah! anyway, the other thing thats different here are the red light cameras...we dont have those where im from, so we like to speed up and rush through the yellow/red lights...well, nooooooot here...not with those pesky little cameras all over the place! i also learned what the HOV lane is today...was riding in that baby for about 15 minutes and when i finally realized i shouldnt be there, i like could not figure out how to exit for some reason! haha suuuchh issues, i swear!! but lately there is something else thats been on my mind and i just really dont get it: the speed radars. now, i am a citizen of the law and i mind the rules (well, within reason...i have been known to speed a little in my day and do forget to turn my lights on at times...yeahhh...), so when i see the sign "speed limit X, radar enforced" i get SCARED and i feel like, omg big brother is watching and i need to follow the rules! so naturally i slow down...but the problem is...no one else does! seriously there is one zone that i keep going through that is 35mph radar enforced...yet literally everyone is going at least 50mph. im like..wait..what the?? are you all not reading the sign?? RADAR ENFORCED, PEOPLE!! THEY'RE WATCHING US!! so i get all panicky and try to slow down, but then everyones whipping past me and giving me dirty looks for driving like a grandma, so then i speed up...but then the panic starts up again bc i think the radars are going to catch me so i slow back down!! ahh its a vicious cycle! so i guess basically what i dont get is, when they say that the speed is "radar enforced", yet everyone is speeding...what do they do?? are they giving all of us tickets or what?? is it written just to scare us?? i seriously dont get it. if anyone can shed some light on this, it would be much appreciated! otherwise...i will continue the panic-slow-speed-panic-slow cycle that i am currently working and hope for the best! wish me luck!!

**amazing item alert**

theyreeeee baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack....HONEYCRISP APPLES!!!!!!! if you dont know what these are...you need to get in a car or on a bike or in your running shoes or on a bus or on a metro or on a horse...whoa, sorry, got a little carried away...some form of transportation and get yourself to a grocery store and gear up for the most amazing apple of your life!! if you already know what these are...then you understand why im so excited its the honeycrisp season!!! just had my first one and it was SO AMAZINGGGGG!!!! OMG...i just google-imaged a honeycrisp apple for your viewing pleasure...and i found out that its MINNESOTAS official state fruit!! OMG...now i like it even more!!! ok, go and get one...what are you waiting for??

ps if you think i am a freak after reading this post, go try a honeycrisp and everything will become clear.

xoxo

Kale Salad!!

who loves kale?!? ew, i know...me either! but, that was BEFORE i tried this amazing salad!! now im a total kale salad fan and since kale is soo amazing for you...you probably should be too!! even if you arent big into salad, like me, this is delicious and filling and really nutritious! so dont get scared off if you dont love big leafy greens that happen to look more like garnish than salad! haha what?? i was scared! and if you already love salads or eat kale every day (whoa, go you!)....then this is a new way to eat it that you are going to love! anyway, i got this recipe from a friend back home and i seriously cannot stop eating it! there are like no ingredients and it takes five seconds to put together AND because kale is a pretty strong beastly leafy green, it holds up all day dressed or even over night (so if you make too much, keep the leftovers, its good!)...so great, right?? ok ok, ill stop with the hard sell (can you tell im obsessed?!)...try it and see for yourself!

Kale Salad

-Ingredients-
kale (organic is best, comes in a big bunch...just normal green kale, no dino kale or anything)
handful of dried cranberries
handful of pine nuts
raspberry vinaigrette (i use annies light...yum!)
*optional, could top with tofu or chicken to get some added protein

-Directions-
1. wash and pat dry kale leaves (amount obvi depends on how much salad you want...i use about 3-5 leaves for a biggish salad)
2. tear the leaves off the stem into salad-sized pieces and throw into a bowl
3. add handful of cranberries, handful of pine nuts (amount depends on you..im a freak, so i pretty much follow the serving size on the package...)
4. dress (to taste) with some delish raspberry vinaigrette--i usually do about 1 1/2 tbls (if you dont like rasp vin, you can try another dressing, but with the crans, i think it goes best with a sweeter/berry dressing personally)

AND THATS THAT, easy right?? i put it in a tupperware in the AM and then just shake it around when im ready to eat it for lunch! soooooo good!! if you try it, let me know what you think!!

one more pic for the road...xoxo

oatmeal

ever since i got into food blogs and healthy eating...i have started eating oatmeal! YUM! no no, not the oatmeal in packets...i make the reaaal oatmeal on the stove. i usually try to buy organic oats (normal oats, not steel cut..dont have thaaat much time people!), but sometimes i just buy quaker, which is fine too! anyway, i thought i would share my oats with you in case you are not currently an oatmeal eater and in case you are looking for an amazing and nutritious way to start your morning! i have introduced my sister, my parents, and a few friends to this and they have all approved, so try it! trust me, youll like it!!! here is a pic of my everyday oats and the picture that comes later is of oats that i made in the end of a barney butter (almond butter...buy this brand, its amazing) container...once there was about a tbsp left, i just poured my oats right in..yum!

Nicole's Delightful Oatmeal

serves 1

-Ingredients-

1/2 cup oats

1 cup water

1/2 ripe banana

1 tbsp ground flax seeds

1 tbls barney butter (or any other almond butter)

1 tsp agave nectar (+/- to taste--can use brown sugar too, but why when agave is SO GOOD!)

optional: 1 tsp vanilla extract--adds a little something special, i dont always do it, but its nice!

optional: raisins or nuts--dont normally do it, but if i dont have banana, raisins are a good sub!

-Directions-

1. in a pot combine oats, water, and 1/2 banana (cut into 1/2 inch slices) and put over medium heat...cook for about 5-7 mins. you MUST add the bananas before cooking...they puff up like big banana marshmallows this way and its really yuuuum! once the oatmeal starts bubbling, give it a few really good stirs...this helps with the marshmallow effect!

2. when its the consistency you like best, take off heat, add the tbsp of flax seeds and the vanilla extract, and stir (dont be afraid of flax seeds...they are delicious, good for you, and even if you dont love them, you wont even really notice them stirred in with everything else!!)

3. pour into a bowl and top with agave nectar and the tbls of barney butter (and any other toppings you like!). note: i dont stir in the almond butter--i leave it in a blob on top and then dip each bite into it to maximize the flavor!! much better this way...trust me :)

and thats that! how easy, right?? ok ok so it maaaay sound a bit complex, but im telling you...once you start, you wont stop!! its THAT good!! it really doesnt take too long and its the best way to start the day!! TRY IT and then let me know what you think....

xoxo

MIA

AHH OMG SORRY! i just realized that i havent blogged in TEN DAYS. thats just totally inappropriate!! my life is absolutely INSANE right now but im slowly getting myself together...and after some intense studying this weekend hopefully the weekly, fine daily, ok you caught me, hourly...panic attacks will cease ;) i got a little confused about my life and thought that i could have a social life AND do school and work...how wrong i was! haha so now i am vowing to get myself together, starting this weekend!! other than the constant feelings of anxiety, life has been pretty good. classes are going well...hard, but interesting! oh UPDATE: i wore my lab coat and goggles for the FIRST time yesterday and wooow did i look COOL! ahaha...but one awkward thing (obvi, its me) my goggles steamed up at one point and i didnt know what to do...if you take them off during an experiment, you will get points docked and be asked to leave (so ridiculously strict, right?? and the lab instructor is sooo funny...she is from russia and sort of sounds like miss piggy meets julia child and is super rule lady and not kidding around, so i def dont want to test her with removing the goggs at any point!!)...so anyway, i was blindly trying to read my measurements through the fog....hahah so awkward...and i didnt want to say anything to anyone because a) i dont really know anyone yet so really who would i say something to?? and b) bc the guy next to me had a paper towel sticking out of his goggles and when i asked him why he told me it was because he was sweating...and i laughed at him...soo then i couldnt admit to being all steamy, right?? anyway, i made it through the rest of the lab ok...im gonna need to get my goggle-wearing technique straightened out so that doesnt happen again! haha! ok, thats about it for now...more later!! xoxo

new york newww yooooork

rats, piles of garbage in the streets, a dirty dirty subway that i just cant seem to navigate....ohh new york! while those things are totally true...i actually found that i DO like nyc. i mean, i always knew that it was fun to visit and all, but honestly, nyc scares me dude! yes ive lived in madrid, dc, and traveled all over the place...but for whatever reason, this city INTIMIDATES me!! but i went to nyc this weekend to visit my sister and as i was walking back from laying out in central park through adorable streets filled with little boutiques and cute cafes, for the first time, i thought...hmm.. maybe i actually could live here! it actually reminded me a little of europe...with the sidewalk cafes, all the ppl out and about just living and enjoying life (something i dont think we do enough of in the good ol' usa...spain has the market corned on enjoying life, in my opinion! but thats a whole other story...), and walking all over the place--from restaurants, to central park, to little cute grocery stores...it was surprisingly really cute (and not so intimidating)! AND i rode the SUBWAY for the first time...ALL BY MYSELF! proud?? haha I KNOW! i did have some crazy encounters on the subway and did see a big nasty rat...but what can i say, new york city is actually growing on me!! if my sisters here AND my best friend is planning on living here one day plus it has good shopping, good food, and broadway...could i one day call the city home?? hmm, we'll see....

metro tales

i was back on the metro today...ive been driving recently, so its been a little while. looks like times have not changed and the metro is just as crazy as ever. not only did i have TWO giant bags...which is totally inappropriate for morning rush hour time...but i was also accosted by a crazy man! i was riding along, minding my own business when a crazy man barged onto the metro. i immediately knew he was a crazy man because he was all upset and muttering to himself (it seemed). It turns out, he was actually crazy AND aggressive and i was lucky enough to be standing right next to him :) he kept yelling (not like super loud, but because it was morning and no one else was talking, it was sort of loud) at the guy next to him, who was listening to music and either did not hear him or was ignoring him...but he kept saying, "stop touching me. i keep moving away and you keep moving. stop touching me. stop." all angry and aggressive. i was like, oh great, are we gonna have a problem here?? then, because he was a crazy shouting man, people were sort of staring at him and he got all upset at that. he started yelling at another guy going, "what are you lookin at?? what ARE you lookin at?? you with sugar in your hair" i know, what the?? the other guy just sort of looked away awkwardly and but the crazy man kept going, "why you lookin at me...all these women around and you lookin at me! fool. why arent you lookin at her" it was here that i somehow got involved as he pointed to me when he said it. i just weirdly looked away and pretended i didnt see him pointing at me, but then he started talking to me, "whys he lookin at me, dont you think you betta lookin than me??" i just shrugged and looked at the ground. haha awkward as ever. then he points at me and goes (SO LOUDLY), "you know who you look like?? caroline kennedy! anyone ever told you that before?? you look like CAROLINE KENNEDY! THATS WHO YOU LOOK LIKE! CAROLINE KENNEDY!" i was like, omg, stop! first of all, i look nothing like caroline kennedy, second, EVERYONE was then staring at me AND the crazy man! haha soo awkward!! i just laughed a little and was like, "nope, never heard that one" and goes, "REALLY!? you look just like her...wait..are you her??" haha i was like, wait...crazy man..are you kidding?? but i wasnt sure, so better to be safe than sorry, i decided to put his mind at ease and said, "no, im not". he goes, "good bc caroline kennedy was stalking me. all the kennedys were stalking me" and thaaaaats when it sealed the deal that the crazy man was in fact a crazy man...it also made me want to move further away from him. haha! i did finally get a seat and moved away from him, just in the nick of time too...because thats when he started talking about how things were so much better in Pluto (yes, i think he meant the planet)....

interesting morning! hah HAPPY FRIDAY!! have a great labor day weekend :)

xoxo

some things i dont like

haha what a positive post! woops! oh well..there are some things that i dont like and its my blog, so i get to share them!

1. when ppl sign an email with "regards"...it doesnt sound professional, it just sounds harsh. dont do it ppl!

2. the word "comfy"...fine if youre 5 or if youre talking to a 5 year old, say it. if youre not--dont (especially if you are a guy...never ok)

3. when you say to someone, "i have a question" and they respond with "i have an answer", ew, annoying.

4. the over usage of the word "myself". i think sometimes ppl try to sound smarter by saying myself instead of me...but sometimes its actually correct to say "me", ok guys??

5. saying sorry for things we dont need to say sorry for...yep, i do this nonstop and i annoy myself and always wish i could take it back! ie. when i was coming out of the elevator today, two men came barging in and I said, oh, sorry! then they go, its ok and kept barging. im like, wait, what?? i take that back! im NOT sorry...YOU barged in instead of letting ME out first...elevator etiquette my friends! haha..whoa, i may have hit a hot button?!

6. going along with #5 is when you hold the door for someone and they dont say thanks or acknowledge you in any way...ellen does a bit on this too...youre welcome, your majesty! hah say thank you or at least make eye contact and nod, come on people!

7. the kid yesterday in my class who yelled BLESS YOU from the back of the room to the girl who sneezed in the front of the room...like, yes its nice to say bless you, but do you really need to interrupt the whole lecture AND draw attention to sneezy mcgee?? i dont think so!

8. people who try to make you pet their dogs in the street. you know, when you are walking by them and they let their dog come up to you and they are all smiley. its like, just because we are both walking on the sidewalk and passing each other, does not mean i need to a. like dogs and b. want to pet yours. i try to just nicely steer clear, but other times when they dont take the hint, i say im allergic...what??

hmm..i think thats about it for today. haha what a happy cheerful friday post!! if you have any weird things you dont like...feel free to share :)

first day of school!

yesterday i had my FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! it was a really sweet day. started off with my dad making me a hearty breakfast, my mom packing my lunch, and both parents walking me to the bus stop-both parents waving and crying as i got off to start my first day! waaaaait...that was 20 years ago (omg 20 years...IM SO OLD!). yesterday was sliiiiightly different...woke up, started studying frantically for day 1 of chem (YES homework for the FIRST DAY..what the??) seeing as i didnt get my act together before yesterday...studied til the very last minute, threw on some clothes (fine, i picked out a cute outfit...gotta make a good impression on the first day!), grabbed a latte, and rushed to campus. when i got to campus i felt...SO OLD! i know i know, ive only been out of school for TWO years...but it feels like im starting over as a freshman!! i went to a relatively small school and now im on a BIG campus with a million people and its TOTALLY different! clearly with my questionable sense of direction, i used to get lost on my own mini campus...so this was a definite challenge. luckily i found the right parking lot (after i couldnt find it the first time around for orientation so i parked at an expired meter bc clearly i didnt have any change...yeahhh...awkward..) AND i found my classroom pretty quickly! i have to say, it was pretty fun being back in the classroom! my prof (thats what the cool kids say) was a total weirdo and really funny...in a dry, science-guy way! haha! oh right--in case you dont know--the school i am doing is a post-baccalaureate program to get my pre-med requirements, which means i am taking bio and chem plus labs for both...eulp, i know. anyway, there were ppl of all ages there (so i wasnt like a total grandma or anything) and the lecture was actually really interesting!! a successful first day!

PS just found out that i have to buy some materials for next weeks lab--among the many items on the list, the two of the more embarrassing ones are: a white lab coat and protective GOGGLES! haha imagine ME in goggles and lab coat...hmm..wonder if they make the coats in pink?? hahah soo awkward...ill try to get a picture! xoxo

the sneeze attack

sneezes are just not a comfortable thing, lets all just get that straight right now. theres no good time to sneeze really. in the middle of a meeting?? nope. while driving?? nooope...can you say accident?? in the middle of eating?? DEF NOT, ew. sneezes are just plain awkward. but if they have to happen...then sneezing just once should do the trick. i was always so irritated by my dad and his crazy sneeze fits. he would sneeze like 20 times in a row and instead of feeling sympathetic, i would feel irritated! hah! sad, i know, but true. luckily, i have never had one of these sneeze attacks. actually, i dont sneeze all that much on a normal basis. but last night...was a different story. i went to bed around 12 and woke up suddenly at 2am with the biggest urge to sneeze. i was like, what the?? so i laid down and tried to ignore it and go back to sleep. but i think the sneezes were offended that i tried to quiet them and ignore their calls..because let me tell you...they came at me with a vengeance!! it was ridiculous! i think i was up for almost an hour...sneezing. thats it. just sitting in bed sneezing...oh that AND hating my life. i got up, washed my face, laid back down...they started again. got up again, paced, turned on the light, blew my nose, laid back down...they started again. no matter what i did, i just kept sneezing! it was AWFUL! i seriously didnt know what to do! i really wondered at one point if they would ever stop! i also kept wondering if enough time passed that i could just get up for the day because laying down was not working...weirdly, starbucks was also on my mind in my time of sneezes. haha only me! once i reasoned that they would stop eventually (also propped myself up with like 4 pillows to avoid the sleeping position, which seemed to be making the situation worse) and that it was in fact too early for starbucks, i guess i fell asleep...bc the next thing i remember is waking up and it being morning and me weirdly in a sitting up position on top of all these pillows with like kleenex all around me. haha ew, i know. sick dude. fricken sneezing attacks. that better have been my one and only!

ummm

umm...am i going to die?? yes, i know eventually i will..im not five. but what i mean is..i just drank out of a water bottle that i havent drank out of for maybe two weeks. so today i was like, ew, old water...then promptly poured out the old water that had been sitting for two weeks and refilled out of the water fountain (side note: one time when i was filling it up from the water fountain, the janitor walked by and goes, "ew, thats city water." i was like, "omg am i going to die??" he goes, "not gonna die, but thats just nasty!" ...so now i always try to fill it up from the cafeteria, but sometimes im thirsty and there just isnt time, ok!?) anywayy, so im filling up my water bottle...totally parched from my lunch...and start drinking immediately. i finished about half the bottle and put it aside. later i reached for a drink and the water looked a littttle on the cloudy side. i was like, what the?? so i took a closer look at there were TONS of WHITE things floating in it!! i was like WHAT THE?? so i take an even closer look (yep, hopped inside the bottle) and saw that there was some sort of FILM (eulp) on the bottom of the bottle that was now coming off and floating in my water...the water that i had just chugged moments before...omg ew! now im thinking, what the HECK is that white film that was undoubtedly caused by the "city water" that i let sit for two weeks and more importantly am i going to die?!? omg siiick! thoughts?? ahh wish me luck people!!

BLT PIZZA!!

HELLLOOOO!!! WHOA...soo sorry for my little disappearing act!! hope everyone is well and enjoying summer! here is one delicious dish that i have been meaning to post for-ev-errr (for-everrr--for-ev-errr--sandlot anyone?? haa..sorry) annywayyy...my favorite food of all time is pizza. i could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each and every day...but dont worry, i dont. or do i...sorry, off track again. anyway, as i said im pizza obsessed, so when my friend kate gave me her pizza dough recipe i was beyond excited!! it is the best, easiest, and fastest recipe ever!! you can obvi put anything you want on it and it will be awesome, but if you want to try one amazing homemade dont-feel-too-guilty pizza...try this:

NICOLE'S BLT PIZZA
serves 1-2


-Ingredients-
*Dough
2 1/4 cups of flour (i use half whole wheat and half white)
1 cup warm water
1 (.25 oz) package of dry active yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tbls agave nectar (or honey)
*Pizza Toppings
1/4 cup goat cheese (you can use any kind of cheese obvi)
1 thinly sliced roma tomato
2 strips of crumbled tempeh fakin bacon (can use real, but why??)
1/4-1/2 cup of finely chopped lettuce (i used a spinach/green cabbage mixture and it was YUM!)
1-2 tsps mayo
drizzle olive oil
pinch of garlic powder (optional)
sprinkle of parmesan cheese (optional)


-Directions-
1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. prepare DOUGH (this actually makes 3 servings...i split it into three balls and use one for this recipe and put the other two in the fridge for later use...unless you are making it for more ppl or you want
leftovers...then make it bigger but obvi increase amount of toppings).
3. in a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. let stand until creamy, about 10 mins.
4. in a large bowl, combine flour and salt. then make a dent in the middle and add in the agave (or honey) and yeast mixture. stir well to combine. cover dough and set aside in a warm place for a few mins so it can rise.
5. while dough is rising, prepare your other ingredients. THINLY slice the roma tomato (as thin as you can...the thinner, the better because they sort of melt together so you dont need sauce!), grate 1/4 cup of cheese, fry 2 pieces of fakin bacon and then roughly chop or crumble with hands, then finely chop lettuce and mix in mayo to make a little salad.
6. roll out 1/3 of the dough on a flour dusted cutting board-or i just used the counter top-(clearly i dont have a rolling pin, so i just use my hands to shape it!). the dough will be pretty sticky, so you will want some extra flour around to control that sucker! if it is really sticky and you are getting frustrated and cursing me out...grab a little olive oil and put that on the dough or your hands while you work and it will make it better!
7. once you have your pizza crust rolled out, drizzle a little olive oil on and rub it all around. then sprinkle the crust with a little garlic powder. top with one even layer of the roma slices, the bacon crumbles, and finally the cheese. if you sprinkle a little parm on top, it will brown a little better.
8. place pizza on cookie sheet (sometimes easier to put it on cookie sheet before you add toppings, fyi...learned that the hard way...) and put in oven for about 10-15 mins (depending on how you like your piz)
9. remove from oven and top with lettuce/mayo mixture and you have yourself one amazing BLT PIZZA!!!


as always, everything is better with a glass of wine...so cut that pizza, pour a glass, and ENJOY!! let me know what you think :)

here's one more pic for you bc it was just that good! YUM!!

Almond-Orange Tofu

so right off the bat i am going to acknowledge that this picture isnt so great! BUT this recipe is!! so try not to judge the picture too harshly, just try the recipe yourself and then send me a better looking pic :)

ok, now back to the topic at hand! this recipe comes from SPAIN (oh and before you are confused..you should know this is not an asian recipe...which is why instead of calling it just orange tofu, i call it almond orange...whenever i tell ppl about it they assume im making a chinese orange chicken type dish..nooope)! anyway, i learned how to make it from my spanish mama (the woman i lived with when i was there last year), except she made it with chicken (and so did i until i stopped eating meat)...so you can substitute the tofu with 2-3 chicken breasts, if you want, but my recipe is with tofu, obvi! anyway, this was a definite favorite of ours in spain...we ate it all the time! its cheap, easy, fast, and freezes well too!! alright here we gooooo:

Almond-Orange Tofu
serves 3-4

-Ingredients-
1 block firm tofu
2 small onions (or one large)
~7-10 unsalted almonds
~5-6 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you like it)
juice from 3 oranges
salt
olive oil

-Materials-
med-large pot with lid
knife
cutting board
paper towels (to get moisture out of tofu)

-Directions-
1. cut tofu in 1/2 inch slices the long way and then cut each of those in half so you have squares (shape doesnt really matter--you can also keep them big). then spread out evenly over paper towel and put paper towels on top and press out some of the moisture. i let my tofu sit with a heavy pot on top for about 15 mins to get as much moisture out as i could (changing the paper towels once or twice).
2. while you are waiting for your tofu to be ready, you can prepare the other ingredients. onions-slice the onion in half, then into thin slices (so they arent rings, they are half rings). garlic-finely chop the garlic (or you can use a garlic press). almonds-smash or cut the almonds into small pieces. oranges-slice in half.
3. salt both sides of the tofu and fry it (high heat) with a little olive oil (you can do this right in the pot or in a separate frying pan). if you are using chicken, you just want to brown it, not cook it. with the tofu, its just a fast high heat fry to get the outside a little brown and crispy.
4. remove tofu from pan and set aside.
5. coat the bottom of the pot with olive oil (maybe a couple teaspoons?) and add the onions, garlic, and almonds AND a pinch or two of salt (i am not a huge salt fan, but mine was lacking because i didnt do this!!). slowly cook over medium heat until the onions are soft (not brown).
6. once the onions are nice and soft, squeeze the juice of the three oranges into the pot. turn up the heat and let bubble for about 5 minutes.
7. add the tofu, give it a stir, then turn down the heat and put the lid on the pot. let simmer for about 15-30 mins so that the tofu can really take in the flavors.
8. i just serve it by itself with a veggie on the side, but you can also serve it over rice!

ENJOY!!

ellen moment

as you all know...i LOVE ellen and think she is seriously the best comic that ever lived...am i going overboard?? i dont thiiiiink so! ANYWAY, i was walking to the metro today and the guy next to me had a TOTAL ellen moment!! everyone is always in a rush in the mornings, clearly, because we are on our way to work. anyway, so we were rushing to the metro and i dont really like to walk right next to ppl though, so i was trying to step it up and pass the guy next to me. as i was doing this, he too sped up and then ever so slightly caught his toe on something and tripped...but then he started running...so i thought to myself...did he trip?? or is he running?? then after a couple of seconds he stopped running and resumed his fast walking and i thought...he tripped. haha TOTAL ELLEN MOMENT! i wanted to point and yell YOU TRIPPED (like ellen does)...but i couldnt! haha i have never actually seen someone do that! so funny! stopped to tie my shoe back there and after that little run..im back on schedule! hahah LOVE ELLEN!! happy wednesday people!

**if you are confused by this post and dont know what ellen moment i am talking about...im going to need you to find here and now--ellen's most amazing stand-up--and watch it now! k, thanks! xox

weird lunch

i had lunch today with my friend and we ate outside at some little tables in front of our building. the tables seat four people, but we are obvi only two and she warned me that because we got a good table in the shade, random ppl will inevitably invade. so we are chit chatting and eating away when all of a sudden this random lady comes and sits down and goes "excuse me, you dont mind, do you?" of course we said, no no, no problem...although there were other tables around...she, for some reason, wanted to sit with us. whatevs. so then we went back to chatting and she suddenly starts mumbling (while looking in the opposite direction from either of us...like literally not even in our general direction) about some silverware that she forgot and then some other stuff that we couldnt understand and then finally she slowly moved her weird faraway gaze in our direction, clearly looking for a response. so my friend and i just looked at her sort of confused and she YELLS (all upset bc we didnt understand her): "I ASKED IF YOU WANTED ANY OF MY STEAK!" (she was eating a cheesesteak). we were like...ohhhhh..umm..no thanks? (ew) and shes like, "IM OFFERIN YOU STEAK! dont want to be rude eatin in front of you!" hahah SO WEIRD!! its like, she was sooo annoyed and upset because we didnt understand her mumbling about offering us some of her food while not even looking at us and then thought it was weird that we didnt want any of a strangers cheesesteak off their plate! haha! after we said no again, she slowly looked away from us again and continued eating. hahah can you even imagine if i would have said yes?? what would she have done?? given me a bite? let me pick some steak off the top of her cheesesteak?? haha SO random! after a few mins, a friend of hers came and joined and we were worried he'd start offering bites of his food too...so we left...

weeeird lunchin!

back to school

most of you probably know that im going back to school next month! its sooo weird. i went to a pretty small school for undergrad and now im going to a really BIG school for this post-baccalaureate program and its scaaaaaary! i made my sister go to the campus with me yesterday bc i was too scared to do it alone! then when we couldnt find the bookstore, i made her ask! haha yep, im ridic! anyway, we finally found it and im like, omg..i forgot how to be a student!! how do you look for and buy books?? i dont have a list..which ones are mine?!? so i asked like 5 ppl for help and finally they just got my books for me! haha typical. well theeeen i looked at the side of the book and it didnt look perfect..it was like cracked a little and you know i like things perfect before purchase! anyway, i told my sister about the issue and showed her the crack. she rolled her eyes, ignored me, and kept looking at magazines. then i made her look again until finally she took the book back to the ppl and made them give me a different one! haha typical...again. anyway, we left the book area and i realized i needed school supplies! so weird!! so we headed to target for some back-to-school shopping!! remember how fun this used to be?? well...not anymore...again, i was like...wait...what do i do?? do i need number two pencils?? do i need a trapper keeper?? a rolling backpack?? a box of kleenex for my classroom?? haha yes, im nuts...my sister slapped me and made me focus and we decided i really only needed notebooks and poss folders...but the thing is, every single thing had like miley cyrus or zac efron on it! i was like...oookk, as much as i like mileys song the climb and as cute as zac is in high school musical...this simply wont do. my sister and i finally found some plain looking notebooks that wont get me laughed out of town during my big return to school and we got the heck out of there! anyway, this going back to school thing is going to be harder than i thought! what if i cant find my classes?? what if i have no friends and sit alone in the cafeteria?? haha kidding, theres no caf..but whatever...im still nervous! AHH!! wish me luck!!

ew dude

ew, for the record, in case anyone is confused..you CANNOT brush your hair while sitting on a bus full of people. thats just not ok. especially if there is a person sitting DIRECTLY next to you. ew dude. the bus i catch to work arrived late this morning so there were tons of ppl waiting and it was a packed situation. we all piled on, sitting two by two and the next thing i know a girl a few seats in front of me starts brushing her looong hair practically in the face of the girl sitting next to her. ew!! the girl kind of turned her head to the side and looked a little awkward. the nasty brush girl was not even a nice discreet hair brusher...she was like a child! going to town, flicking her hair every which way. sooo not ok. i seriously would have vommed.

so this is just a general announcement...wildly brushing your hair in tight quarters with strangers=never an option!

have a great day :)

xoxo

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes

my newest breakfast sensation: pumpkin oatmeal pancakes! i first found the recipe here (at katheats.com) and made a few minor changes. they are SO good and really filling!! and it just so happens these guilt-free pancakes are gluten free and dairy free and reaaally YUM! i definitely suggest giving them a try :)

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes

serves 1

-Ingredients-

1/4 cup canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie mix!!)

1/4 cup oats

1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg whites)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 small handful of golden plump raisins

-Directions-

1. mix all ingredients together in a small bowl

2. cook over medium heat like a normal pancake (makes 2-3 pancakes depending on size--i used a little olive oil for cooking)--dont try to flip it too early or it may fall apart a little!!

3. top with a little pure maple syrup or agave nectar OR your favorite fruit or nut creation!

4. ENJOY!!

TRY THEM AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!

policeman trickery

i was driving home from yoga this morning on a road that is 35 mph and i looked in my rear view mirror to see a cop driving behind me. i dont have very good luck with those guys...so when i see them, i get a little panicky and really try to be the best driver possible (which yes, i realize i should always be...but its tough when you are putting on mascara and singing to the music and trying to watch the gps all at the same time!). so anyway, i put down my latte (what?? its fiiiine to drive a stick shift car with a latte in hand early in the morning when you are not quite awake yet..noo problem..) and focused on the task at hand. i checked my speed...right around 35...looking good. then all of a sudden, the cop started gaining on me! i was like, hey buddy, mind the speed limit! but he kept doing it and so i sped up a little, but pretty soon he was tailgating me..like super close, like maybe he was going to try to bump me or something! so i sped up a little more, but then got a little nervous, because there i was speeding with a cop literally on my bumper! then i thought..oh god, maybe he's tricking me!! maybe hes like forcing me to speed so that he can pull me over! omg. so i quickly slowed back to the speed limit and he came up super close to me again. it was a total catch 22!! luckily my turn came up, so i got the heck out of there! trickster cop or just a cop who doesnt follow the rules of the road?!?! YOU DECIDE!!

happy weekend :)
xoxo

a surprise in my bloob

omg so i was eating some blueberries yesterday on my way home from work and guess what little treat was hiding inside one?? are you ready.....are you sure......it was a.....SPIDER! AHHHHHHH!! SICK! thank GOD i was paying attention while eating them!! i looked down at the bloob and noticed that there was some white on the top of it. i was like, ew, mold. but then i thought, i just bought these, why is there mold?!? so i decided to touch it..bc i wasnt convinced it was mold and because sometimes i make bad choices (note to self-never touch an unknown substance). anyway, so when i lightly touched the bit of white on the top of my blueberry, I SAW A COUPLE LITTLE LEGS MOVE AROUND INSIDE. i thought..no no, this must be my imagination. i just thought that maybe me touching the white, made the part underneath the white move so it just looked like something was inside...so, i again made bad choices and...I TOUCHED IT AGAIN! this time, i was SURE i saw legs move and got really scared and grossed out. i rolled down my window as fast as i could and popped that little sucker out, all the while shuddering and trying not to crash my car! the guy next to me (going the opposite way..so really close to me actually) saw me during this whole process and burst out laughing...omg! so rude..if he only knew the truth of what was inside my blueberries..he would not he laughing! wonder if the bloob hit his car on its fast exit from mine??

ew, it was sick. you better believe i will always eat blueberries with caution from now on...and i suggest you do the same!!

xoxo

Fakin Bacon BLT

one of the things that i thought i would miss when i decided not to eat meat was bacon! ew, i know..bacon is fatty and bad for you and gross...but for some reason, i like it! whether its in a blt, crumbled on a wedge salad, or in a quiche...i am definitely a bacon fan! so when one of my friends brought fakin bacon to my attention i was instantly intrigued!! fakin bacon, by lightlife, is made out of tempeh (which i am a big fan of!) and has 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and only 100 calories per serving!

my amazing sandwich:

three strips of fakin bacon, pan fried in olive oil

1/2 a roma tomato sliced suuuper thin!

handful of mixed field greens

a little spread of light mayo

piled onto a toasted whole grain roll

DELISH!! and the whole thing only took about 5-10 mins to put together!! so if you are craving a BLT, but want to cut some of the fat and eliminate the nasty factor....you should DEF give this tempeh bacon a try!! even you meat lovers just might like it :)

xoxo